You may have a spyware infection, but first see if the info below helps:

Some third party programs that you install to prevent popups and ads can
cause this. Disable them and see if the problem goes away.

Also, see the following articles:
(Q180176) Open In New Window" Does Not Work in Internet Explorer:
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q180/1/76.asp

(Q177054) Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Don't Start Browser
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q177/0/54.asp

If using a branded version of IE/OE (as supplied by your ISP or some 3rd
party other than a download from MS), you may need to do the following:

1. Click Start/Run.
2. Type - regsvr32 urlmon.dll and hit the enter key and wait for a message
of completion.

If no help, see this page for mo

Multiple browser windows open when you click on a mailto: link:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/MailtoProtocol.htm
--
Jim Pickering, MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Please reply to newsgroup only.
Please provide feedback so that others may be helped.



If none of those help, try the following

Go to: Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to this key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PROTOCOLS\Handler\mailto

In the right pane, delete the CLSID. Reboot.

"Essex Hammer" wrote in message
oups.com...
The subject box ALMOST says it all.....I have 4 users on my home
computer and this only happens in one of the accounts.

I can link to web pages with no problem but if I link to an email
address the computer freezes for a few minutes and then anything from
50 - 60 empty Internet Explorer windows open one after the other.
This happens if I click a link in Outlook Express or in Mozilla ( my
preferred web browser)